I hope your year has started off smoothly and the weather is treating you all well. The days grow longer and brighter, and I am so grateful for the additional sunshine. I am looking forward to the first flowers and budding green leaves, and to hear the chirping birds and watch the animals wake up from their winter naps. Most of all, I am ready for some quality time outdoors, sitting in the sunshine, watching the world grow and bloom around me. While winter is always a struggle for me, spring brings me a lot of joy.
Below are some ways that I start to celebrate the spring in a location that often still has snow through much of the spring.
Create spring art. Using whatever materials you have you can paint, sculpt, draw, or craft those items you think of related to spring. Bird nests, baby animals, flowers, clovers, eggs, green trees…the possibilities are endless
Start a new hobby or project. Spring is a time of new beginnings, so it’s a perfect time to start working on that idea you’ve had for a while.
Plant something. Depending on where you live, it may be time to begin planting your seeds outdoors. Otherwise, you can always start your plants indoors to give them a head start before they are ready to be outside. Nurturing new plants is one of my favorite ways to connect to nature.
Do some cleaning. Get rid of any clutter, refresh your altar space, or perform a cleansing rite for your home. This is a great way to restore balance in your home, and prepare for new beginnings.
Enjoy some time outdoors. While the spring can still be chilly, take the time to enjoy the growing sunshine. See if you can find new buds or spot some new creatures in your neighborhood. Let the new growth remind you of all the potential that spring brings with it.
Decorate eggs. Dyed eggs are a great symbol of the fertility of spring. You can dye hard boiled eggs with your family, or paint wooden eggs to decorate your altar.
There are also numerous deities related to spring that could be celebrated in this season. I hope to take some time each week to get to know a new deity as part of my personal practice. Here are a few examples:
Ara – Armenian god of spring, flora, and agriculture
Brigid – Celtic goddess of healing, poetry, and much more, celebrated at Imbolc as the first day of spring
Flora – Roman goddess of flowers and spring
Freyja – Norse goddess of love, fertility, and magic
Hebe – Greek goddess of youth and the prime of life, associated with spring
Persephone – Greek goddess of the spring and queen of the underworld
Shaushka – Hurrian/Hittite goddess of love, healing, and fertility
Ushas – Vedic goddess of dawn, who imbues life to all beings
Vesna – Slavic goddess of youth and springtime
If you have other ways you like to celebrate spring, or other spring deities you work with, I’d love to hear all them. Feel free to drop me a message through email or social media. I hope you all have wonderful spring, and fantastic 202